Flu, twice in 2 months

[slkone98]

Hi everyone,

My girlfriend and I had a flu two months ago, when we moved to a new (and pretty cold and windy) city. We recovered normally with some paracetamol. Hers was much more mild, I had a cough for a few weeks.

Now, two months later, we went to an amusement park, getting totally exhausted and caught a lot of rain as well. I insisted in an open window at night, and then  now she has flu symptoms again.

Is it normal to have a cold/flu twice in this two-month period? We are a 30y.o. couple, 3 years living together, with no prior conditions or diseases. I write because I am a bit hypochondriac and I would feel better with some feedback.

Thanks in advance!

[slkone98]

Wow thank you! We might want to check that. We're in Finland, where sunshine is less abundant, so it might have such a connection indeed.
Thank you for such elaborated replies!

[Ricobord]

Moving to a new city is a stressful event that can dampen the immune system, making one more vulnerable to colds/flu.  Taking good care of yourself along with Vitamin D (as Red_Star eloquently describes) and Vitamin C supplements should help your system recover.

[Red_Star]

Actually, the article is from Sunlightenment: "Vitamin D Deficiency is Why You Get Flu!"

[Red_Star]

Vitamin D is now the most requested lab test over all other lab test. And for good reason (see list below!).  I had this test done when i heard of the increased risk of cancer and found i had severe vitamin D deficiency. This explained why i had bronchitis (3 weeks), strep throat twice (1 month and over 2 weeks) and a cold (1 week) in less than 6 months. I had bone pain in my hand which i thought was arthritis but was due to vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D council recommend 50 - 80ng/mL (125 - 200nmol/L) year round.  

Excerpts from the article "How Vitamin D Protects You from the Flu and Other Infections"...

"A new study has confirmed that vitamin D plays an important role in activating your immune defenses against infectious diseases like the flu.
Vitamin D deficiency has already been linked to a wide spectrum of diseases including heart disease, cancer, diabetes, depression, autoimmune disease and many others.

The new study discovers that activation of T-cells to fight infections needs definite help from vitamin D. When a T cell recognizes foreign invaders like bacteria or viruses, it sends activating signals to the vitamin D receptor gene. The VDR gene then starts producing DVR protein, which binds vitamin D in the T cell. Then the vitamin D bound and activated DVR produces PLC-gamma1 protein — which allows the T cell to get started fighting the infection.

Dr. John Cannell has also reported that vitamin D helps produce antibacterial peptides that help protect against the flu. That is why in winter, when there is little sunshine, people are more prone to vitamin D deficiency and getting infected with flu viruses."

"Just take a look at this list of common chronic diseases that researchers have linked to vitamin D deficiency:

Cancer
Hypertension
Heart disease
Autism
Obesity
Rheumatoid arthritis
Diabetes 1 and 2
Multiple Sclerosis
Crohn’s disease
Cold & Flu
Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Tuberculosis
Septicemia
Signs of aging
Dementia
Eczema & Psoriasis
Insomnia
Hearing loss
Muscle pain
Cavities
Periodontal disease
Osteoporosis
Macular degeneration
Reduced C-section risk
Pre-eclampsia
Seizures
Infertility
Asthma
Cystic fibrosis
Migraines
Depression
Alzheimer’s disease
Schizophrenia

And as if that wasn’t enough, a 2008 meta-analysis of 18 randomized controlled trials concluded that supplemental vitamin D significantly reduces mortality from ALL causes!"